A:N/ Wah how did it get so far this quickly? Oh and you might be happy to know I just checked, and I made a mistake when i labelled my chapters, so this story will actually have 27 chapters! Unless of course you absolutely loathe this story and were lookign forward to it being finished? Lol! Anyway, because I know you guys love readign chunjoe, and have enjoyed this story, I just wanted to reassure you (in the event anyone was actually worried) that I'll ahve another chunjoe story to post when this one is finished. I'm not asking that you go read that one when this story finishes, but I figured I should let you guys know, in case some of you were worried about missing out on a chunjoe fix! Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

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Chunji spent the next few days fretting and pacing around his apartment. He called Niel and CAP trusting the two boys' judgement enough to ask their advice about how he should handle L. Joe's news.

Every time he thought about it, he felt restless. He wanted to go confront his father with what he'd done, but at the same time he didn't. His father deserved to be humiliated; to have everything he'd done thrown back in his face, to lose his wife and one of his son's, if not both of them, forever. For what he'd done; for what he did.

In Chunji's mind there were no excuses for betraying his mother and covering up what he'd done for so many years, in the hope that she'd never find out. For hoping that he could play the faithful husband, and have no consequences for his actions.

He didn't deserve his mother's love. And yet, his mother did love him. He was her husband. Even after all the hell he'd put Chunji through after he came out, she still loved her husband and tried to defend him. To be told of her husband's infidelity would undoubtedly hurt her. Possibly even kill her.

Chunji didn't want to hurt his mother.

But she didn't deserve to have to put up with a lying adulterer either. Would the truth really be worth the pain it'd cause her, though? Sure she deserved better than this, but would she want it? Would she maybe prefer to go on living in ignorance of her husband's dalliance with another woman?

It stung him a little to know that he'd been used as he had been. It was one thing for him to do a favour on his father's behalf for a friend. Even if that did annoy him to no end; treating him like a child, who didn't need to be informed or consulted about things involving him. In the end, it had brought him to L. Joe. His younger friend, who he had clearly also developed some amount of romantic feeling for over time.

But the thought that he'd been used to help his mistress sort out her problems with her son who didn't trust her for having the affair in the first place, sickened him. The thought that his father could mention his former mistress as a friend, not only to him but to his own mother, sickened him. How heartless could that man be? Did he feel no guilt? No shame?

Every time he thought about it, he got agitated. He couldn't decide what he should do. Who did it really serve for him to reveal the truth?

He was worried that he'd reveal what had happened, because he wanted to get his own back at the father he'd had a bad relationship with ever since he'd confessed his interest in the same . He was worried that he'd destroy his family, and hurt his mother all in the name of revenge. That he'd feel empty and horrific guilt for what he'd done for the rest of his life. Because he'd done it for the wrong reason.

L. Joe had said that when he needed help, he asked for it. Chunji thought that was a very mature attitude to have; to be aware of one's own strengths and failings. He was a mature adult too. He could recognise when he needed help.

That's why he first asked CAP what he should do. CAP was very intimidating when you first met him. He was very tall and he spent a lot of time and effort on his physical appearance. He was very strong, and he looked it. Chunji was kind of worried that he'd be likely to criticise him for his hesitation. That he'd say he hadn't been loyal. That if he truly cared for his mother he would have raced over that same night, and confronted his father, come what may.

He didn't want to hear that. Recklessness didn't get a good ending, despite all the loyalty it represented, right?

But CAP too, was mature. He thought carefully about everything Chunji had to say, while saying nothing himself until he'd heard every thought Chunji had on the matter. Then, following another reminder that he couldn't tell Chunji what he should do, because at the end of the day it was his choice, he came up with. “But I think you'll be able to tell why you'd be outing your father, based on your answer to this one question. How would you feel if your mother stayed with your father after finding out about this?”

Chunji stopped at that question. He thought about it as deeply as he could, trying to convince himself that what CAP had suggested was actually going to happen. He tried to work out how he'd feel. Did he really want his mother to leave his father because of the affair? Did he really want him out of his life that badly? Would he be enraged or unhappy if their marriage survived the betrayal?

He took a deep breath in. Out. In again. He considered the idea, as much as he possibly could, then he opened his eyes again.

“I think that I would be okay with that. But I would still be disappointed with the way he treated my mother. I mean, in recent years, the only thing that still made me respect him was the knowledge that he'd taken care of my mother. That he loved her and cared for her and treated her right. Compared to that, nothing else really mattered. Apparently though, he couldn't even get that right.” Chunji sighed.

CAP nodded. “That's because you and your mother are close, and she was the one who was wronged by this whole thing. That's empathy, and that's perfectly okay. If all you wanted from revealing this, was for your mother to leave him, you'd be after revenge for the way he's treated you as of late. This is much healthier. You just want your mother to know; so that she doesn't live with blinders on, never knowing the truth.”

Chunji nodded, though he knew it probably wasn't necessary. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly, not having been able to sleep well since he found out about L. Joe's secret. He just laid there in bed thinking about the whole thing until he eventually crashed from exhaustion. “Do you really think she'll stay? Would she even consider leaving him?”

CAP shrugged, “I'm not sure. Who knows what she'll do. She might think about leaving him, but at the same time, it was a long time ago, they've been together so long, there are a hundred other reasons she could use to justify staying despite what he did. Remember, your mother still loves your father, even if he did hurt her.” he explained, observing Chunji's defeated posture, looking for a sign that anything he said bothered the younger boy.

But Chunji just nodded, a slight half smile lighting up his face. “I think I can understand that. To be honest I couldn't imagine not having my mother and my father in my life. Even if I do fight with them. I don't know if I can imagine, them living in different houses; getting new partners, and all that. I don't think I can picture a life where they're not together.” he admitted sheepishly.

Whereas when he told Niel, he got a very different, though equally informed opinion. He couldn't help feeling lucky to have such thoughtful friends he could rely on for advice. Even if Niel was even younger than him than L. Joe was.

Niel had pursed his lips, eyeing Chunji critically as he spoke, looking for a third opinion. He had his own opinion and he had CAP's, now he needed a tiebreaker. But Niel saw things in a different way altogether. “What purpose does telling her serve?” he'd demanded, sounding a little irate. At Chunji's confused look, Niel's glare lessened slightly, “Sorry. I just... I don't see any need for people to do stuff like this... Disloyal people bug me.... Like really, bug me... I think I hate your father now...”

Chunji nodded, in understanding, even if he did feel a little guilty for convincing his friend to hate his father. He hadn't really intended to do that. Sure he was angry about it, and he already had a lot of hate built up towards his father, but he didn't know if he'd ever go so far as to say that he hated the man. He was a little worried that he'd poisoned the younger boy's mind with undeserved hatred. But then he realised that Niel was still awaiting an answer from his question.

“Ah, well, I'm not sure that it'd really serve a purpose. I mean, I'm just... She never knows whose side to take when we fight. She always defends my father so vigorously, because she loves him and he's been such a good husband to her all these years. I just, I don't want her to go to her grave believing her husband has never done a single thing wrong. She deserves to know the truth, her husband has tried to hide from her.” Chunji explained, fumbling through his words slightly, in his hurry to answer, before he annoyed the younger boy.

“I'm just saying, I don't think it's going to change anything. She'll stick by the man she married twenty years ago, only now she'll be pained everytime she looks at him. Her heart will ache whenever he goes out, and alarmed, she'll try to track his movements more closely, in the hopes of reassuring herself that he isn't leaving her. It'll drive a wedge between the two of them, and it'll hurt her, but other than that, nothing will change. The only one affected by your news is your mother. So what's the point of telling her?” Niel queried.

Chunji paused, considering Niel's point. “I'm not sure I want things to change. I just, don't want her …. He's done nothing but try to cover up what he did, since the day he started. He wanted her to think that he'd done nothing wrong, so as long as we both believed it, we were playing into his hands; giving him exactly what he wanted. It's not fair that he should be able to betray her, and get to play her, like he's been doing for the last 10 years. She deserves to see things as they really are, to force him to face up to what he's done.”

Niel looked like he was about to respond, before he answered, “10 years ago? I didn't think L. Joe had told you when the affair happened.” Chunji nodded, “He didn't. He just said it was a long time ago.”

Niel observed him, intrigued again. “But isn't it because of your father that you met L. Joe, and by extension the rest of us?” Again, Chunji nodded.

“Are you a little resentful of that fact? That he's the reason your life is actually better now? Him and this little affair of his? Do you feel guilty for profiting from his affair?” Niel prodded. Chunji opened his mouth to respond but then he paused. He hadn't even considered the idea, before, so he wasn't actually sure how he felt about that. “It's not that... I love you guys, so much, I don't want to lose you now, for anything. But I'm prepared to admit that I'm a little annoyed that I got you from his lies; from him covering up his affair. I feel used. He tricked me; he used me. That's annoying, but I can deal with that.”

Niel shrugged. “Well then, I suppose they're is nothing for it, but to get it all out in the open. It won't change anything but the man deserves to be held accountable for his past actions.”